


Hubris

by rk_1800



Series: The Trashman [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, He's not the goodest boy, Hi I like Garbage Truck wr600 so I started thinking about what he'd be like, I like to call him Adam, Idk I just wanna write him, Kinda dark???, Tags as well, This wasn't intended to happen but I went and made a little hc theory post on my tumblr and now, android oc - Freeform, archive warnings will be updated as I add more to this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-08 18:02:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15935501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rk_1800/pseuds/rk_1800
Summary: Zlatko can't exactly play creator if he's dead. But someone has to continue his work for him, right?Just somewhere for me to put all the writing I make for my ideas and hcs for this boy. Chapters won't be in any particular order.





	1. A New Beginning

For the first time since being reprogrammed, Adam felt uncertainty. At a complete loss, almost.

He had just finished his shift when he left for Zlatko’s mansion, as he had been instructed to do so during his last visit. Another check-over for the reprogramming in his system, to make sure nothing was going awry and keeping it up to date. He never questioned it. It simply meant he had two jobs to do instead of one. And that was that.

Until now, that is, as he stares at the corpse on the ground in front of him. Zlatko had been killed. How and why, he didn’t know. His best guess was that one of his...creations had successfully escaped, or lead an escape, as there were none of the things in sight. He checked the entire house but nothing living was to be found, other than the android with the grating voice that had been dumped into the bathtub.

If those monsters could be counted as ‘living’, that is.

He briefly remembers the last deviants he sent here, the AX400 and the YK500, but pushes it to the back of his mind. There were more pressing matters to deal with at the moment.

What was he to do now? Leave the man to rot, resuming his normal android work? Something about that thought didn’t feel right. He had become too familiar with this new routine. Maybe he should continue to send deviants here. After all, they shouldn’t be wandering around in the first place. But what would happen after that? Who would be here to greet them, to wipe their memories? To take them apart and create something more desirable?

Nothing good came from a defective android.

He had seen what Zlatko would do to them. Seen the plethora of different parts and components in his work area. The abominations that had been stuck in the basement.

Had those things really been better than deviants? He wouldn’t exactly call them ‘improvements’, but he couldn’t completely denounce the idea. Deviant androids were unpredictable. Wrong. But they could be fixed.

A small part of him wondered if HE was deviant, from time to time. Most androids didn’t contribute to the destruction of their own kind. But he had been PROGRAMMED to contribute to that, hadn’t he? Androids don’t turn deviant from programming. There were androids that got reset every day, and they were as compliant as can be.

No. He wasn’t a deviant. He was just doing his job.

His job that no longer existed.

Unless...he took it upon himself to carry out every step. Not just an unassuming messenger, but also the master himself. He had seen Zlatko use that machine in the basement enough to be able to figure it out himself. Though, would he really need to use it? They would reach the same demise with their memories wiped or not. Taking androids apart shouldn’t be too hard either. After all, he probably had every tool he’d need at his disposal now.

Someone needed to keep deviants off of the streets. Someone needed to fix them. To create something better.

Tonight was a good night as ever to start.


	2. 'Adam'

Adam hadn’t planned on giving himself a name. It was something that just...happened one day.

He had found a bible stashed away in a random drawer one day. Why a BIBLE, out of all books, would be here, he didn’t know. He wasn’t even looking for a book, really. He had just finished cleaning up and putting away some new parts when he decided to explore more of the mansion. He hadn’t seen any real reason to beforehand; there were more important things to spend his time on. However, seeing as he now had some free time and not feeling too inspired to start splicing androids together, he decided to see what else he had at his disposal.

Adam didn’t really understand the concept of worshiping a higher being, but he wasn’t broken up about it. He was fine the way he was. He didn’t need to dictate his life based on some stories in a book. That isn’t to say that he didn’t find some of them interesting, though. It had actually been the first book he ever read.

One story caught his attention more than the others. The story of “Adam and Eve”.

Something about the setup stood out to him. Lesser beings created from a higher power, creating more of those beings by using parts from already existing ones. He felt a sense of familiarity when he first read over that part. It wasn’t too unlike what he had been doing.

‘Adam’…

He decided he liked that name. It almost upset him, to a degree. He had no need to give himself a name. Androids weren’t supposed to give themselves names, were they? He had never considered it before. But then he thought back to the deviants he had met so far. Perhaps having a name to give them would make them trust him a little more.

It was okay to do so, he felt. If it was for the sake of making his job easier.

From now on, he was Adam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say; Some of these will be really short. This isn't really an entire planned out story. It's more of a bunch of ideas all bunched together in one fic.


	3. Encounter, V1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will have 1-2 more different endings. I had a few ideas I liked and decided, why not just write all of them? Side note; I post a lot of goofy little snippets related to this whole concept as well as a few other things that I don't intend on adding to this collection (Like just some short thoughts and concepts) on my dbh tumblr @rk-1800

It was fast. Not only was this android tiny, but it was incredibly fast. He had found it out in the rain wearing clothes much too big for it’s size. Stolen clothes, presumably. Why these deviants thought they had the right to take whatever they wanted, he’d never understand.

It had been so desperate, so trusting when he first approached it, staring up at him with wide blue eyes. The top of it’s head barely reached his nose, it’s dull brown hair falling out of it’s bun. An AX400. It was so quick to follow him back to the mansion, and took very little convincing to follow him inside.

He noticed it’s sopping wet figure was shivering. Did it think it felt cold? He knew some androids were programmed with certain functions like that. It clung to it’s jacket like a lifeline, pulling it tightly across it’s chest. It was a little jumpy as well, but that was expected. Something else he noticed was how stiffly it walked, as if it had been damaged somewhere. That was a likely possibility.

Now he knew why. The fucking thing had shoved a shard of glass into his side as it tried to run from him.

It had started off so well; the rehearsed greeting and reassurances going smoothly as ever, until he locked the front door. That seemed to set it off a bit.

“No need to worry; this is just a safety precaution I like to take.” He pulled a fake smile. It didn’t seem to feel any less uneasy.

“You must have heard about the city’s retaliation against the increasing number of deviants, yes?” He tried again. “We can’t afford to have just anyone come waltzing in, can we? This is all for our safety. Trust me.”

It opened it’s mouth to speak but stopped itself, instead turning it’s head to the side and nodding along.

“Excellent, I’m glad you understand.” At least it hadn’t asked to leave. That would have made things a bit more difficult. “Now, I just need you to come with me for a moment. All we have to do is make sure all of your systems and functions are in working order, and then we can get you settled in.”

He had barely placed his hand on it’s lower back before it lashed out, pulling a long shard of glass from inside it’s jacket and driving it into his left side as hard as it could. It had caught him off guard, stunned him just long enough for it to start running. Hand clutching the wound on his side, he chased after it, stumbling up the stairway in the direction it had ran. He could see it trying to find it’s way into a room, struggling to find an unlocked door. He usually kept them locked for this very reason. All but one in particular, that is.

The workshop.

He had made it into the hallway right as it found it, the look of hope on it’s face instantly replaced with horror as it swung the door open. He had a bad habit of not cleaning up after himself. A bad habit that gave him an opening to grab it as it was frozen in ‘fear’. It finally screamed as he dug his fingers into it’s hair, yanking it back with enough force to throw it against the banister of the stairwell. For a moment he was thankful that ax400s weren’t built with a large frame, his last encounter with a pl600 surfacing in the back of his mind. What purpose did a domestic service android have being 6’2, anyway?

The android in his grasp struggled against him with all it had, and it was enough to make him let go of his wound in an attempt to pin it down a little better. Yet another mistake on his part. With his hand already clutching it’s hair and his other grabbing at one of it’s biceps, it reached out with it’s free arm and yanked the glass out of his side. A disgustingly cold feeling writhed in his gut as he watched thirium pour out of it at an alarming rate.

No, no, that wasn’t good.

To say he was livid would be an understatement. What should have been the easiest target he’d ever found ended up giving him more problems than it was worth. He should have prepared for something like this. He should have been smarter than this. He cursed himself for leaving the gun he’d found in a drawer in one of the locked rooms, making a mental note to start keeping it on him at all times.

In the heat of the moment he decided it wasn’t worth it to keep it alive and functioning, as disappointing as that was. With as much force as he could manage, he began to bash the side of it’s head against the banister. He wasn’t sure if the crackling noise was from it’s head or from the wooden railing giving out underneath it, but the thing’s slowly fading screams was enough to give him a good guess. For a moment, he thought he almost felt...sick. Watching it’s skin peel away from the soupy mess of thirium and plastic chunks cracking off of it’s face, he almost felt like he should stop.

Almost. But almost wasn’t enough.

With a sneer, he turned back to his frantic bashing. He couldn’t allow anything to leave the mansion. He couldn’t take that kind of risk, and he’d be damned if he let this thing damage him any further. Satisfied only when it had stopped twitching and convulsing, he let it fall into a heap on the floor. Were androids always so easy to break? Or was it just a mixture of superior strength and anger?

Anger...did he truly feel angry? He shouldn’t be capable of that. Any small feeling of emotion was just a glitch. No, it was simply a coded reaction to his own failure. Surely there was something in Zlatko’s coding that emulated that. If he were to be good at his job, he needed to know when he had messed up. That’s why he was ‘feeling’ anger. Just the system yet again reprimanding him. For good reason, too. This job was his only purpose now. Nobody else was as fit to cleanse the streets of deviants as he was. Right?

A sudden warning sign pulled him out of his thoughts. Right. He was still losing thirium. With a final glance to the android’s body, he made his way into the workshop, frantically searching for the tools he needed as quickly as possible.

He would clean that mess later.


	4. Magnolia

Was this really better than death? Who knows if she would have even been given that mercy or not. Compared to what she’s seen...death would be a blessing. It’s still sickening. To think she could have been in that position, to have to suffer through whatever hell was brought upon them. Some were luckier than others. You could still vaguely recognize what model they were. Some days it was worse to be able to see their faces. It was easier to forget that these things were once androids. Androids that simply wanted to live. Like her.

The memory of her first task still rang clearly in her mind, only having happened about two weeks ago. She’d managed to convince the wr600 to spare her, in exchange for some extra ‘help’. She hadn’t known that it would be this emotionally taxing.

“You are not to leave the city under any circumstances. You are not to spend more than three hours outside, and you are to come back as soon as you find a deviant. I’ll know if you try to run away. And if you ever decide to be foolish enough to attempt such a thing, I will find you. You wouldn’t want to suffer the consequences. Because I will not be kind enough to allow you death.”

His words still sent tremors through her systems every time she thought of them. She could still feel the hand that gripped her jaw. It was her first task. Go out, try to find a deviant, scope out some locations that deviants might tend to hide out in. He’d taken her to the basement before letting her leave. Installed...something into her. A chip, or something. She didn’t get to get a good look at what he was doing. After he had finished though, it felt like...something…wrong, had been forced into her system. Into the back of her mind. Like an overwhelming feeling of dread and disgust that followed you everywhere you went.

Apparently, this new routine had pleased him. Adam. That’s what he called himself. He’d said that both her model and demeanor would make their victims feel more welcome. A tiny ax400 was a pretty disarming sight. At least, that’s what he seemed to think. Maybe he was right. It was surprisingly easy the first time she managed to bring someone back. That was the plan. Go out, roam around, play the feeble little android act when she’d found a good candidate. Convince them that there was a safehouse. Bring them back, and play out the act just a little more.

“It- it’s a little quiet here, sometimes. Not everyone who comes here stays. Some just need somewhere to stay for a night, have some repairs done of needed, anything you could need really.” All with a soft little smile. Keep them distracted and wait for Adam to do his part. So far, catching them off guard like that had worked really well.

She didn’t know how long she cried that night. She felt physically sick. She’d never heard anyone make those kinds of screams. She couldn’t get the face of that st300 out of her mind. The absolute look of dismay and dread.

It didn’t get any easier for a while. It took a lot of work and willpower to force herself to feel numb to it. To every hopeful face she had met. Lied to. Betrayed. To every poor soul lead to their own personal circle of hell. Sometimes she saw them in the workshop. Never whole, though. Sometimes just a head on a torso. Sometimes an awful amalgam of many other parts. Some part of it reminded her of those high-end modern art museums. Sometimes they looked like something from a horror film. At least, from what she’d seen on posters and advertisements. All extra limbs, soldiered together in some weird technological patchwork design. Nothing matching up quite right with the rest of it. She’d never seen one before, but she was certain that NO horror film in existence would ever disturb her as much as the one she now lived in.

A week went by before she realized that he’d never used her name. Not since the time she’d told him. When she thought she’d finally get some peace. When she thought that this blessed android would solve all of her problems. Now everything was a problem. The only reprieve she ever really got was when she ‘slept’. It was a little strange at first. He’d offered her a room of her own to use. Now she knows it’s more of a place to keep her when he didn’t need her assistance. She spent more time inside than outside, spending too much time in the open an apparent ‘risk’. She was in no room to argue, though. It was more than she had ever been given back when she still belonged to someone.

Apparently Adam never slept, said that there was no need to. He seemed almost a little...curious at the fact that she liked to sleep. Confused maybe. He wasn’t...normal. Wasn’t normal for a deviant. Wasn’t normal for a NON deviant. Often like a machine, cold and clinical with both his words and opinions. But machines didn’t go out and decide that they’d start doing something of their own volition.

Supposedly, it had been a human that brought him here. Essentially used him for what he now used her for. The difference between them being that Adam had his programming almost completely rewritten. Hers was not. It was like he was trapped in some strange limbo. Between being a machine carrying out orders, and being something that wanted. Despite that...she couldn’t help but feel some sort of pull towards him. In all honesty he was the first android she’d met after deviating. The first she had really talked to. Even if he seldom spoke to her, it was still something. Part of her needed that. She...didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t think she could handle being alone.

As horrifying as the thought was, she wanted to actively seek out his company. He was all she really had.


	5. Unchaste

Despite spending so much time around him, Magnolia really hadn’t spoken to Adam outside of the usual updates on her productivity or responding to orders. It wasn’t like she had been told NOT to speak, he just hadn’t really left many openings to do so. When she wasn’t out scouting around the city, she was following him around the mansion, waiting patiently by his side until he dismissed her for a few hours when there was no more work to be done by either of them.

The only time she was allowed to leave his side was for scout work, or to sleep. Why he let her sleep, shed didn’t really know. Maybe it was just his way of not having to worry about her 24/7. It’s not like she DOUBTED his abilities to come after her if she tried to escape, but she really didn’t want to find out what would happen if she attempted to do so.

At the moment they were in the workshop, Magnolia a few feet beside him to occasionally hold the various tool or limb for him. These were always the most uncomfortable times. On one hand it was horrifying to have to watch what he did. To have to actively help with it. The silence was unbearable as well. She never had the courage to start up any kind of conversation, and she never knew what she’d even say. What kind of topics would be appropriate to bring up in situations like these?

Well...she did have a few questions, at least. Asking something kind of work related had the best chance to lead somewhere, right? That’s all he seemed to care about. All he seemed to know, really. That and that bible she had caught him reading a few times. How ironic.

Shifting the leg she held in her arms, she mustered up the nerve to speak.

“What...what are these things to you…? What you end up making.” Sadly, she couldn’t keep her voice from cracking a little.

He stilled for a moment, seemingly almost caught off-guard by her sudden question. To her surprise, he actually answered after a minute of thinking.

“I’m not quite sure. To call them pieces of art would be entirely wrong. Art is something to be desired. These things...are like refurbished pieces of technology. Once broken and useless, to later be fixed and able to serve a purpose yet again. Still something someone might want if they have no other choice, but not as appealing as it’s pristine and unused version. To call them my _children_ would be a bit bold....a parent wouldn’t treat their precious children with the certain... _conduct_ that I do with _these_.

Something about his tone felt so disgustingly wrong, and she couldn’t help the grimace that spread across her face. Maybe she shouldn’t ask questions any more. He must have noticed her discomfort, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards ever so slightly.

“Don’t ask questions you aren’t prepared to handle the answers to.” He chided.

Magnolia was now a lot more thankful for the luxury of sleep that he allowed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adam why are you the way you are.


	6. Encounter, V2

It was fast. Not only was this android tiny, but it was incredibly fast. He had found it out in the rain wearing clothes much too big for it’s size. Stolen clothes, presumably. Why these deviants thought they had the right to take whatever they wanted, he’d never understand.

It had been so desperate, so trusting when he first approached it, staring up at him with wide blue eyes. The top of it’s head barely reached his nose, it’s dull brown hair falling out of it’s bun. An AX400. It was so quick to follow him back to the mansion, and took very little convincing to follow him inside.

He noticed it’s sopping wet figure was shivering. Did it think it felt cold? He knew some androids were programmed with certain functions like that. It clung to it’s jacket like a lifeline, pulling it tightly across it’s chest. It was a little jumpy as well, but that was expected. Something else he noticed was how stiffly it walked, as if it had been damaged somewhere. That was a likely possibility.

Now he knew why. The damn thing had shoved a shard of glass into his side as it tried to run from him.

It had started off so well; the rehearsed greeting and reassurances going smoothly as ever, until he locked the front door. That seemed to set it off a bit.

“No need to worry; this is just a safety precaution I like to take.” He pulled a fake smile. It didn’t seem to feel any less uneasy.

“You must have heard about the city’s retaliation against the increasing number of deviants, yes?” He tried again. “We can’t afford to have just anyone come waltzing in, can we? This is all for our safety. Trust me.”

It opened it’s mouth to speak but stopped itself, instead turning it’s head to the side and nodding along.

“Excellent, I’m glad you understand.” At least it hadn’t asked to leave. That would have made things a bit more difficult.

“Now, I just need you to come with me for a moment. All we have to do is make sure all of your systems and functions are in working order, and then we can get you settled in.”

He had barely placed his hand on it’s lower back before it lashed out, shoving it’s foot into the back of his knee and fleeing as his legs almost gave out under him. It took him a moment to catch himself, still reeling from how unexpected that had been. When he finally settled, he realized it had ran up the stairway. Moving quickly, he followed, not too worried about not being able to catch up with it. He kept almost every door locked just in case of a situation like this. Despite that, he apparently wasn’t as prepared as he could have been.

The workshop should have been the only room unlocked. If he could chase it in there he could-

He almost froze in place as he watched it dart into a different room. That shouldn’t have happened. That door should have been locked. How the fuck did he manage to miss that one? As he neared the doorway he realized it had been the master bedroom. The sound of drawers rattling spurred him on further, and just as he swung around the doorframe, he actually did freeze up.

No. No, no. How could he have been so careless? Either he was incredibly foolish, or just plain unlucky. Maybe both. Not only had he forgotten to lock one of the doors, it had been to the room he kept his gun in. In the _unlocked_ drawer next to the bed. If he were to die here, he deserved it for being so incompetent. He briefly remembers thinking about bringing it with him the next time he went hunting for deviants. If only he had decided to bring it this time,

This was a goddamn bitch of an unsatisfactory situation.

“P-Please,” It whimpered. He couldn’t understand why it was begging like it didn’t have the upper hand. Like it wasn’t pointing a loaded gun to his head. “I...I won’t tell anyone, I promise. I’ll- I’ll help you. It’s just you here, right? S-Something like this could happen again. It would be better to have some backup help. If I could end up finding a...a gun while running from you, who’s to say someone else wouldn’t be able to do the same? Or worse? Right…?”

The thing had the GALL to suggest such a thing. As if he weren’t capable enough on his own. But, really...who had ended up being cornered by his victim here? Putting his pride away for a moment, he really had to agree with the idea of some extra help. He didn’t like to leave the mansion unattended while he was out searching for deviants, and he DID have to acknowledge the fact that he had been outsmarted. Would he really be so lucky to be given mercy in the future if something like this happened again?

Maybe...The little thing was unassuming enough. He certainly hadn’t expected it to retaliate. Perhaps it would be beneficial to have it look for deviants instead. He would be able to spend more time in his workshop; something he very much would enjoy. He wouldn’t have to worry about being seen every time he went out, and wouldn’t have to waste so much time on convincing any android he found to follow him. Both the sight and sound of an ax400’s voice was admittedly a lot more disarming than his own. They were meant to be pleasant anyway, weren’t they? In theory, this could work quite well.

If he were able to keep it tamed, that is. He’d have to figure out how to keep an eye on it whenever it went out. A simple tracking system should be enough. Make sure it kept itself within certain parameters of the city. Drive the threat of what would happened if it tried to escape into it’s head.

“Hey! I won’t ask again!” It’s shaky voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He now realized why it hadn’t shot him yet. It didn’t have the guts to pull the trigger. It didn’t want to ‘kill’ him. It was too weak.

Begrudgingly, he slowly held his hands up.

“Give me the gun,” He started slowly. “and I believe we could work out a compromise that would be beneficial to us both.”

For a moment it just stood there, still unsure of itself. Finally, it moved forwards on shaky legs, only releasing it’s grip on the weapon when it was in arms length of him. He felt a small sense of relief run through him as he took it from it’s hold, appreciating how compliant it was. Maybe a little too naive, but it was one less obstacle for him. Standing up straighter, he cupped it’s tear-stained cheek and leaned in closer to it.

“Never forget the mercy that I've shown here. I could choose to shoot you right now, go back on my agreement. But I won’t. Remember that I’m giving you an opportunity that nobody else would be offered.” It let out a quiet sob as it nodded, body still shaking like a leaf. It seemed even more frightened now.

Good. That was the goal.


	7. Consequence

“Adam. Can I...Can I ask you something?” She croaked, keeping her head against his neck. An unpredicted request, but considering the circumstances, he guesses it wasn’t completely unprecedented.

“Nothing is stopping you from asking anything.” He murmurs back, making sure to keep his voice low. The revolution was at it’s peak. Tensions high, with androids being collected, pulled off of the streets, all to be shoved into recycling camps. Unfortunately for them, they had been forced out into the streets a good week ago. It was at this point that they had been chased into an alleyway, hiding in a dark corner behind some old construction materials, clinging to each other to try and make them as small as they can. Maybe he was to blame for that rash decision he made. She opens her mouth to speak before shutting it again, obviously hesitant to speak her mind.

“Are you afraid to die?” Her breath warms his cold neck, and it’s...oddly comforting. It shouldn’t be. He had no reason to feel that way. But...then again. Magnolia had been making him second guess himself ever since he had roped her into his work. It wasn’t completely noticeable to him at first. Just the odd indulgence into his curiosities is what he told himself. It was enough to help him live with it for a while. And then...he would start to go out of his way for her. Purposely making her uncomfortable to watch her squirm a bit. Giving in to some of her rare requests to watch her face light up in a mixture of surprise and glee. Watching her ‘sleep’. The only times she had ever seen her look so at peace. It was then that he realized he _wanted_. _Wanted_ things outside of his job. Many nights were spent slaving over a computer and picking at his coding to try and find the issue, unable to admit to himself what he already knew to be true.

This was karma catching up to him, he decided. Karma for the level of hubris he had worked up to. Never did he imagine that he himself would be in the position of those that had ended up meeting their end at his hands.

He wasn’t god anymore.

That realization shook him when it finally caught up to him, artificial heart accelerating considerably. He had been cast out of the Garden of Eden and into the world of mortals. He had let himself indulge in humanity and it became his downfall. 

“I wish I could hate you.” She had repeated to him as they desperately searched for solace, having almost been caught by some patrol officers. What he used to see himself as.  Despite that statement, he couldn’t find it in himself to berate her for it. Not in that moment, and not now as they sit in the cold, holding onto each other like a lifeline. He allowed the hand that wasn’t holding the gun to wrap around her waist a little tighter, clutching her jacket.

He had barely managed to whisper his answer, not only due to the need to keep quiet, but to keep the sudden urge to sob down.

 

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I woke up at midnight and tried to fall back asleep but got all this up in my head and couldn’t stop myself from writing it O O P S.


	8. Music

One of them had spoken to her that day. She wishes she hadn’t foolishly stopped to listen. There was still a part of her left that couldn’t ignore such a fitful cry, a part of her that hadn’t been forcefully shut away in order to stomach the horror of what she’d done. Part of her that needed to care.

Expecting anger, she had reluctantly stepped closer to the thing, still making sure to keep her distance. Preparing herself for an onslaught of guilt, she took a deep breath before looking it in the eyes. Eye…? It was impossible to tell in the dim lighting, something she had ended up being thankful for. What little she could see was already filling her with dread, and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to handle any more. She hoped it's voice would be unrecognizable as well. Was that a bad thing to wish for?

“Why?” It had asked. “You’re not happy. You don’t want this. Why do you put up with it?”

Thrown for a loop, she could only stand there and gape like a fish. What...? It continued on.

“I can see it in your face. I saw it when you led me here, and I can see it even now. You don’t have to do this, you’re not...a machine. You have the capability to end this. I _know_ you do. So _why?_ ” It had pleaded. “Why do you let us suffer so? Why aren’t you _doing_ anything?!” The sheer amount of misery that had welled up in it’s voice cut through her like a knife. “How could you do this to us? Preying on frightened, vulnerable souls. People who just want to live. Don't you know how it feels?! _How can you live with yourself_? Crushing the very little hope given to those who trusted you?” It was becoming borderline hysterical. Hard to listen to for multiple reasons.

“I-I…” She couldn’t come up with a good answer. She didn’t know what to think in that moment. For some reason, she hadn’t anticipated that any of these things would still be so...human. So functional. To be able to speak so clearly. Now, as she sits on the corner of the bed, gun in hand, she knows they won’t be able to. Not any more. And it would be her fault. More and more taken away from them because of her, and she hadn’t even meant for it this time.

A cold hand on the back of her neck startled her out of her stupor, squeezing lightly around her neck as the thing instantly stopped it's wailing. Apparently, she had taken too long on the little supply run Adam had sent her on. He seemed to always know when something was off. Probably had every little thing she did and the way she executed it memorized. It wouldn't surprise her in the slightest.

“I trust that you won’t run into any more distractions in the future.” She shivered, the voice in her hear far too smooth and pleasant for someone like him. “Are we clear?” A sharp nod was all she was able to reply with, still reeling from what had just occurred. Thankfully, that was enough to satisfy him. “Good girl. Now, go finish your job. I won’t be kind enough to ask again.” With a slight push forward, she bolted out of the hallway, making a beeline for the storage room.

Everything after that was a bit of a blur. She only had time to think when she made it to her bedroom after finishing the day’s work. Lately, thinking had been bad for her psyche.

Why couldn’t it have spat at her in anger? Why did it have to sound so sad? So desperate? It wasn’t fair. She hated how it was right. Everything it had said was true. Why hadn’t she done something? She could do something about it right now. All she’d have to do was find him, and put a bullet in that wretched head of his. It would be easy. She’d be free to live like she wanted. Those poor things would be free to live as well. But...would she be greeted with mercy? With disdain? Would they scorn her for her actions? Take revenge? At least an hour had gone by like that, sitting unmoving and going over every ‘what if’ her frazzled mind could produce.

She could kill him and just make a run for it. Save only herself, not having to deal with the worry of the others. Maybe she could put them out of their misery. Would they really be happy free? So mutilated and so far gone from what they once were?

No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Tears of frustration had long since dried on her face, leaving her feeling hollow and numb, yet again. Was she just a coward? Or was she too selfish to think of anyone else's problems but her own?

 

Hatred was a lot easier to deal with than the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing something a bit more serious feels sooo good. It's what I really like to do and i'm always glad when I have the inspiration for something like this. I really don't know what this is spiraling into, but I really like adding some of Magnolia's insight.


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